They live on the border of the zone, in the same houses they lived in a quarter century ago before the disaster – too far from the reactor to join the tens of thousands who were designated victims and granted replacement housing and symbolic gestures of disability compensation. Still, they were too close to avoid the tragedy.

They cross illegally into the Exclusion Zone through holes in a barbed-wire fence, searching for scrap metal and scavenging the undisturbed forests for mushrooms. Once a year, with government consent, they visit graves of the deceased. Few live in the Exclusion Zone: in total only several dozen people – one or two per village. They should not be there, but remain of their own volition.

On the outskirts of Chernobyl most women are widows. In their home hang portraits of lost husbands decorated with artificial flowers. Those worst afflicted by the radiation left this world long ago. The rest die of complications stemming from alcoholism – locals believe home-brewed vodka is the best cure for radiation.

Their empty, drunken eyes hide the truth about the victims of Chernobyl.

Young people flee to cities or enlist in the army. They’ll never return. They’re all certain change will never come to this place and better lives lie elsewhere. There is nothing to count on in the present, no dream to chase for the future, and a total lack of commerce, industry, agriculture or entertainment.

What’s left? Fondly recalling memories of more than 25 years ago before Chernobyl took their loved ones, dreams and the rest of the world.

Nyna Vasylyevna Kurynoy is seen on the phone informing the relatives about the death of her mother in law - Ulyana Prokopovna, 96 years old - the oldest woman in Straholesie near Chernobyl's exclusion zone.

Drunken brothers Bohdan and Dima are seen in Karpilivka, village on the border of the exlusion zone. Behind them Maxim, 4 year old Dima's son, is playing on his motorbike.

A procession of burial ceremony of Marya Petrovna Gryshenko, 87 years old, is seen entering the cementary in Straholesie.

A landscape of a vanishing river is seen in Karpilivka a village on the border of the exclusion zone

An old lady and her dogs are seen in Karpilivka village on the border of the forbidden zone.

Masha, 5 year old girl is watching her grand father while he is killing a pig in Termahivka

Juri, Kostia and Sasha are fighting with a pig before it's going to be killed.

Pavlo and Olga are seen while dividing the meat after pig killing to share it with their family

Farmers in Straholesie

Children playing during brake between lessons at primary school in Orane, a village in close proximity to the exclusion zone.

Vadim, is seen leaving his home in Stari Sokoli after a fight with his wife.

Children playing during brake between lessons at primary school in Orane, a village in close proximity to the exclusion zone.

Kolia is seen during the party for his one month old daughter Alinka who was just baptised. They live in Lugoviki village on the border of the exclusion zone.

Nadia, Katia and Olga - Chernobyl widows and members of their little choir Chaika are seen singing traditional Ukrainian songs.

Women dancing on the Lenin's street in Lugoviki during the party for Alinka who was just baptised.

Fedir Fedorovicz, 52 years old, is seen leaving his house in Ilintsy, an abandoned village inside the exclusion zone. Fedir is one of the two inhabitants of Ilintsy.

Vadim, Veres and Viktor are seen in front of their house in Gubin a village on the border of the exclusion zone

Landscape inside the exclusion zone is seen in the village of Gubin. The border is croessed illegally every day. Some of the people look for scrap metal, some pick up mushrooms while other go there to hunt.

Ivan Marchenko, man living in Karpilivka is seen through the barbed wired fence surrounding the exclusion zone.

A monument of a soviet soldier is seen in Krasno a village inside the exclusion zone

A wall in abandoned School no 1 in the city of Prypiat which was evacuated after the nuclear explosion in Chernobyl on April 26, 1986

Fedir Fedorovicz, 52 years old, is seen in Ilintsy, an abandoned village inside the exclusion zone. Fedir is one of the two inhabitants of Ilintsy.

The Chernobyl power plant and the reflection of reactor No. 4. The explosion of Chernobyl's No. 4 nuclear reactor in the Ukraine on April 26, 1986 sent a huge cloud of radioactive dust over much of Europe.

Zina, an old deaf lady, is seen in abandoned village of Ilintsy inside the exclusion zone. She is one of the two inhabitants of Ilintsy.

A man illegally crossing the border of the exclusion zone is seen in Karpilivka village. The border is croessed illegally every day. Some of the people look for scrap metal, some pick up mushrooms while other go there to hunt.

Katia and her second husband Misha - liquidator are seen in their house in Straholesie. Katia's first husband died short after the explosion at Chernobyl's power plant.

Olga is seen in her house in Straholesie. On the wall photographs of her husband and son - both liquidators who died short after the explosion af the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl.

A security guard is seen closing a gate in the Chernobyl's exclusion zone.